A program of significance to all families designed to help Americans turn their New Year resolutions into real solutions for healthy eating in 2017 launched on Dec. 28: “MyPlate, MyWins,” available at www.ChooseMyPlate.gov.

In our last column of 2016, we highlight University of Illinois farm economist Darrel Good’s final projection for 2017 crop and livestock prices, issued Dec. 28, and the USDA’s new MyPlate, MyWins campaign to turn New Year’s healthy eating resolutions into reality. Plus, the year ended on a sad note when the Peoria Stock Yards announced its abrupt closure. For more on these items and other news of note for Illinois farmers and rural dwellers, read on …

Peoria Stock Yards ends era of service

PEORIA — After nearly 150 years of selling hogs for area producers, the Peoria Stock Yards announced its abrupt closure, Reuters News Service, followed by the Peoria Journal Star’s Chris Kaergard, reported late last week. One of the final remaining hog auction facilities in the Midwest, the Peoria Stock Yards suffered from the consolidation of small yards and from the new era of contractual pig farming with animals sold directly to packing companies by farmers — eliminating the need for the old-fashioned stockyard auction system.
The most current owner of the Peoria Stock Yards, Ron Jenkins, passed away in June 2016, according to news reports. The last delivery of hogs was sold at the facility on Dec. 23.

Good: Lower crop, livestock prices to persist

URBANA — During the just-concluded Illinois Farm Economics Summit (IFES), held by the University of Illinois farmdoc team at five locations across Illinois, farm economist Darrel Good delivered sobering news to crop and livestock producers: expect no relief from downward pressure on prices received during 2017.

“Crop prices remain well below the record levels of 2010 through 2013 as U.S. and world supplies remain abundant,” Good stated in a summary of his remarks for farmers who attended the IFES, published Dec. 28 through the farmdocDAILY website. “The lower prices are expected to persist until there is a shortfall in production in a major producing region or until U.S. and world economic growth accelerates.”

Crop prices remain pressured by four consecutive large U.S. harvests, while soybean prices have remained high relative to the price of corn and wheat despite three consecutive large crops, Good added. As for livestock prices, Good said that production has continued to rebound after high feed prices, drought conditions in livestock-producing regions, and disease in the hog herd resulted in peak prices during 2014.

“Production has now rebounded and prices have declined sharply. Further production increases are on tap for 2017,” the ag economist projected. The slides for Good’s 2016 IFES presentation, “Crop and Livestock Price Prospects for 2017,” can be viewed at www.farmdoc.illinois.edu/presentations/IFES_2016.

USDA MyPlate program rings in New Year

WASHINGTON, D.C. — A program of significance to all families designed to help Americans turn their New Year resolutions into real solutions for healthy eating in 2017 launched on Dec. 28: “MyPlate, MyWins,” available at www.ChooseMyPlate.gov. The resource, in alignment with USDA’s “Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2015-2020,” encourages consumers to take small steps towards their healthy eating resolutions and celebrate milestone achievements through personalized nutrition goals and solutions. The program features animated videos demonstrating simple changes Americans can make to their meals to decrease sodium and saturated fats.

“With the new resources available on the MyPlate, MyWins web pages, Americans can set small, attainable, healthy eating solutions to incorporate into their lifestyle now and into the future,” said USDA Undersecretary Kevin Concannon. (USDA news)

Illinois Farm Fact:

The theme of the 2017 IFCA Convention is “Sustaining Stewardship, Service and Profitability.”

EPA increases pesticide application standards

BLOOMINGTON — Reducing the likelihood of harm resulting from misapplication is behind the stronger standards for applying agricultural pesticides, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced in December. This is according to Jim Jones, EPA assistant administrator for the Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention, who said the action is part of EPA’s commitment to keeping communities safe, protecting the environment, and protecting workers and families.

“By improving training and certification, those who apply these restricted use pesticides will have better knowledge and ability to use these pesticides safely,” stated Jones of the new regulations, which require specialized licensing for methods such as fumigation and aerial applications. Applicators of farm pesticides in Illinois, however, will be largely unaffected by the new requirements,

“The EPA rule has little impact in Illinois since we already require training and testing for pesticide users in these categories,” said Jean Payne, president of the Illinois Fertilizer and Chemical Association (IFCA), in an email to R.F.D. News & Views. “Some states have testing one time then only education sessions from then on, whereas in Illinois we have testing every three years, and our material on training and testing changes as the pesticide products change to keep the applicators current. All operators in our industry already have to work under the direct supervision of a certified applicator and our operators (guys in the sprayers) also have to be trained and take and pass a test once every three years.”

IFCA convention events posted

BLOOMINGTON — Speaking of the IFCA (see prior news item), the fertilizer and chemical association has posted a detailed schedule of events and speakers scheduled for next week’s IFCA Annual Convention, held at the Peoria Civic Center. “Check out the program at www.ifca.com under ‘convention,’” said Jean Payne, IFCA president, of the Jan. 17-19 event, which brings together farmers, applicators, agribusiness leaders and industry experts for timely seminars, industry recognition, a trade show, and exchanges of ideas and practices. “We have great nutrient and Dicamba topics on the agenda.”

–R.F.D. NEWS & VIEWS–